Bodegas el Maño – A classic Spanish tapas bar in the center of Madrid

 

 

One of the most fun parts about visiting a new city is trying out the local cuisine. Madrid is no exception! In fact, eating out in Madrid is one of the city’s main attractions, both for locals and visitors. Madrid has one bar or restaurant for every 211 residents. The city boasts cozy tapas bars serving traditional small plates, lavish restaurants run by celebrity chefs, quirky neighborhood cafés and an ever-expanding offering of global cuisine. Madrid’s heart and soul can be found in its innumerable eateries.There are so many great places to choose from that it can be hard to make a decision. Where to go and what to order are serious questions facing many visitors to Spain’s bustling capital.

One of our favorite restaurants is Bodegas el Maño in the Conde Duque area of central Madrid. Bodegas el Maño was founded back in 1927 by a family from Zaragoza who wanted to sell their wines in Madrid. It is now run by three friends who are passionate about serving traditional and modern tapas in a warm and friendly atmosphere.The restaurant is a local favorite and it’s always a good idea to call ahead for a reservation. With a friendly waitstaff and a seasonally rotating menu, it’s a great place for both lunch and dinner. For lunch, dig into a Menú del Día or set lunch menu featuring grilled and fried meats and seafood, hearty stews, seasonal salads and homemade desserts. For dinner or light tapas, grab a spot at the bar and order a bit of everything!

The bar is famous for its spicy patatas bravas served with a housemade sauce rich with smoky paprika and garlic plus tavern classics like fried pig’s ear, pork skewers and huevos rotos (fried eggs served over crispy potatoes and topped with cured ham)! More modern takes on tapas standards like pisto (sauteed vegetables in tomato sauce) topped with seared tuna and garlic-fried shrimp with creamy burrata are also delicious!Since the bar is steeped in wine tradition, excellent regional Spanish wines are available by the bottle or glass. In addition to favorites like wines from La Rioja and Ribera del Duero, try lesser known varieties from El Bierzo in the north of Spain or even organic wines from Madrid. If you prefer something sudsy, try a Malasaña craft beer bottled just outside of the city!

Any day of the week, you’ll find Bodegas el Maño packed with locals and visitors enjoying excellent food and delicious wine. The large windows, soft lighting and carnations on every table beckon you off the street. It’s the kind of bar everyone wishes they had in their neighborhood! The next time you’re in Madrid, be sure to stop in for some tapas and wine!

Review: Margit Sperling

 

Reflection questions:

What’s your favorite restaurant in your city?

What do you think of when you imagine Spanish cuisine?

Are there Spanish restaurants in your city?

How often do you go out for a meal?

 

Make a question to correspond with the sentences (answers found below):

Ex:

Sentence- “One of the most fun parts about visiting a new city is trying out the local cuisine”

Questionwhat is one of the most fun parts of visiting a new city?

1.Sentence: “Madrid’s heart and soul can be found in its innumerable eateries.

Question:

2.Sentence: “One of our favorite restaurants is Bodegas el Maño.”

Question:

3.Sentence: “Bodegas el Maño was founded back in 1927.”

Question:

4.Sentence: “The bar is famous for its spicy patatas bravas.”

Question:

 

Questions:

  1. Where can you find Madrid’s heart and soul?
  2. What is one of our favorite restaurants?
  3. When was Bodegas el Maño founded?
  4. What is the bar famous for?